[Job-offers-cs] Four postdoctoral research positions, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford

[Pekka Orponen]

We invite applications for four Postdoctoral Research Associates (PDRA) 
to join the EPSRC Hub on the Mathematical and Computational Foundations 
of Artificial Intelligence. One PDRA will be recruited for each of the 
following four research themes: Learning with Structured & Geometric 
Models, Low Effective-dimensional Learning Models, Implicit 
Regularization, and Reinforcement Learning through Stochastic Control. A 
brief description of each these is as follows (additional details are in 
the further particulars):

*Learning with Structured and Geometric Models.* We will apply tools 
from manifold learning and Riemannian optimisation to leverage the 
underlying manifold structure for better training and novel network 
designs.

*Low Effective-dimensional Learning Models.*  We will extend 
foundational theory of how large ML systems can be regularised to have 
dramatically fewer trainable parameters without sacrificing accuracy by 
analysing the use of low-dimensional building blocks

*Implicit Regularization.* We aim to develop mathematical understanding 
of implicit regularisation properties in deep neural networks to guide 
the development of algorithmic paradigms aimed at combining statistical 
optimality with computational efficiency.

*Reinforcement Learning through Stochastic Control.*  We will develop 
methods from stochastic control, which will provide a mathematically 
grounded approach that has a well-posed continuous-time limit (as 
opposed to traditional RL methods that are inherently discrete and do 
not scale favourably for high frequency observations without judicious 
hyper-parameter tuning).

The PDRAs will work with faculty across the multi-university Hub, but 
will be employed by and directly supervised by faculty within the 
Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford.  Faculty within the 
Mathematical Institute associated with the above work packages include 
Profs. Cartis, Cohen, Hauser, Lambiotte, Reisinger, Sirignano, and Tanner.

These are two-year, fixed-term position, funded by a research grant from 
the EPSRC. The starting date of this position is flexible with an 
earliest start date of 01 March 2025.

The successful candidates will be expected to conduct research which 
falls within the remit of this large-scale project and will have the 
opportunity to do so collaboratively with other members of the hub, both 
at Oxford and/or with hub partners which include universities as well as 
companies and governmental organisations. They will contribute to the 
activities of the wider machine learning and data science research group 
and write up the results of their work, with co-authors, for publication 
in refereed journals and proceedings. There will be opportunities to 
contribute a small amount of teaching to the department, of at most 
three hours a week during the academic terms.

You will have, or be close to completing, a PhD in mathematics or a 
related discipline, and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the 
discipline to work within established research programmes. Excellent 
communication skills are essential, including the ability to write for 
publication, present research proposals and results, and represent the 
research group at meetings.

We proudly hold a departmental Athena SWAN Silver Award and an 
institutional Race Equality Charter Bronze Award, which guide our 
progress towards advancing racial and gender equality. As part of our 
strategic aim to improve staff equality and diversity, we would 
particularly welcome applications from women and BME candidates, who are 
currently under-represented in positions of this type within the department.

Please direct informal enquiries to the Recruitment Coordinator (email: 
recruitment at maths.ox.ac.uk), quoting vacancy reference *176180*.

Applicants will be selected for interview purely based on their ability 
to satisfy the selection criteria as outlined in full in the job 
description. You will be required to upload a statement setting out how 
you meet the selection criteria, a curriculum vitae including full list 
of publications, a statement of research interests, and the contact 
details of two referees as part of your online application. *(NOTE: 
Applicants are responsible for contacting their referees and making sure 
that their letters are received by the closing date).*

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online. To apply for this 
vacancy and for further information, including a job description and 
selection criteria, please click on the link below:

https://my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecruit/erq_jobspec_details_form.jobspec?p_id=176180 
<https://my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecruit/erq_jobspec_details_form.jobspec?p_id=176180>

Applications received before *12.00 noon* UK time on *Monday, 02 
December 2024 *will receive full consideration. Applications after this 
date will be considered at the discretion of the committee.

Job description
176180_PDRA JD and Selection Criteria_0.pdf 
<https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/system/files/vacancies/176180_PDRA%20JD%20and%20Selection%20Criteria_0.pdf>562.59 
KB

With best wishes Coralia Cartis

Professor of Numerical Optimization,

Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford



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Coralia Cartis
Oxford
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